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December 3
1900s-1940s *1901 - At the league meeting, the Milwaukee Brewers franchise is officially dropped from the American League and is replaced by the St. Louis Browns. *1933 - Philadelphia Athletics owner Connie Mack sells catcher Mickey Cochrane to the Detroit Tigers for $100,000. Cochrane is named Detroit manager. Nine days later, Mack sells Lefty Grove, Max Bishop, and George Walberg to the Boston Red Sox for $125,000, and George Earnshaw goes to the Chicago White Sox for $20,000 and another player. *1936 - The Brooklyn Dodgers "sell" Frenchy Bordagaray, Dutch Leonard, and Jimmy Jordan to the St. Louis Cardinals. The exchange is understood to be a continuation of the September 7 transaction, which brought the Dodgers Tom Winsett and Eddie Morgan from the Cardinals' Double-A farm team. *1940 - The St. Louis Browns purchase pitchers Denny Galehouse and Fritz Ostermueller from the Boston Red Sox. Galehouse will have a 50-58 record in six seasons for the Browns. 1950s *1956 - Once again, the Detroit Tigers trade pitcher Virgil Trucks. This time, Trucks will go along with Ned Garver, Gene Host, Wayne Belardi and $20,000 to the Kansas City Athletics for Bill Harrington, Jack Crimian, Eddie Robinson and Jim Finigan. *1957 - Al Lopez, who traded OF Larry Doby when he was managing the Cleveland Indians, does it again with the Chicago White Sox. The Baltimore Orioles swap P Ray Moore, IF Billy Goodman and OF Tito Francona to the White Sox for Doby, Ps Jack Harshman and Russ Heman and IF Jim Marshall. *1958: **In one of the worst trades in franchise history, the Philadelphia Phillies send P Jack Sanford to the San Francisco Giants in exchange for P Rubén Gómez and C Valmy Thomas. Sanford, who slipped in his sophomore year, will win 24 games for the Giants in 1962, including 16 in a row, while leading his team to the National League pennant. **American League President Will Harridge announces his retirement. 1960s *1960 - The Cleveland Indians trade OF Harvey Kuenn to the San Francisco Giants for OF Willie Kirkland and P Johnny Antonelli. *1962 - Former players Frank Crosetti and Johnny Schulte file suit to halt any increased MLB pension benefits that fail to include old-time players. *1963 - The Milwaukee Braves acquire OF Felipe Alou, C Ed Bailey, P Billy Hoeft and IF Ernie Bowman from the San Francisco Giants for catcher Del Crandall and pitchers Bob Hendley and Bob Shaw. After an injury-shortened 1964 season, Alou will enjoy standout seasons in 1965 and 1966. *1964 - In what is fine move by the California Angels, P Bo Belinsky is send to the Philadelphia Phillies for P Rudy May and 1B Costen Shockley. *1966 - P Camilo Pascual is traded by the Minnesota Twins along with IF Bernie Allen to the Washington Senators for P Ron Kline. *1968: **MLB Rules Committee adopts a series of changes designed to increase the amount of offensive run production in both leagues. In the most significant alterations, the committee agrees to decrease the size of the strike zone and lower the height of the pitcher’s mound from 15 inches to 10 inches. The rules changes will result in increased run-scoring in 1969. **Robert E. Short, Democratic National Committee treasurer, buys majority ownership of the Washington Senators for $10 million. James Lemon will retain 15–20 percent. The controversial Short will move the Senators to Texas after the 1971 season. *1969 - The Kansas City Royals make arguably the best trade in franchise history. The Royals send third baseman Joe Foy to the New York Mets for outfielder Amos Otis and pitcher Bob Johnson. Otis, who batted only .151 in 48 games for the Mets, will spend 14 outstanding seasons with Kansas City and will finish his career with 193 home runs and 341 stolen bases, and will become a Royals Hall of Fame member. 1970s *1971: **The Chicago Cubs trade P Jim Colborn and two other players to the Milwaukee Brewers for OF José Cardenal. **The Minnesota Twins send P Tom Hall to the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for P Wayne Granger. *1974: **The Chicago White Sox obtain catcher Jim Essian from the Atlanta Braves in exchange for controversial slugger Dick Allen and a reported $5,000. Allen will refuse to report to Atlanta and retires instead. Richie Ashburn will help coax Allen out of retirement and he will play two disappointing seasons back in Philadelphia before going to Oakland as a free agent. **In a six player deal, the New York Mets trade relief ace and Shea Stadium favorite Tug McGraw and two players to the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for outfielder Del Unser, catcher John Sterns and a pitching prospect. **The Houston Astros trade 1B Lee May and OF Jay Schlueter to the Baltimore Orioles for infielders Enos Cabell and Rob Andrews. 1980s *1980: **Don Sutton, the winningest pitcher in Los Angeles Dodgers history, signs a four-year contract with the Houston Astros. Sutton posted a 13-5 record in 1980 with a National League leading 2.21 ERA. **Cleveland Indians outfielder Joe Charboneau, who hit .289 with 23 home runs and 87 RBI, is named American League Rookie of the Year. *1988 - Two free agent pitchers sign three-year contracts, Jesse Orosco with the Cleveland Indians and Dave LaPoint with the New York Yankees. *1989 - The Milwaukee Brewers sign free agent DH Dave Parker, who hit 22 home runs and 97 RBI for the 1989 World Champions Oakland Athletics. Oakland receives Milwaukee's first round draft pick, using it to take pitcher Todd Van Poppel, as well as a compensation pick selecting another pitcher, Kirk Dressendorffer. Parker will hit 21 home runs with 92 RBI for Milwaukee in 1990. 1990s *1990 - National League batting champion Willie McGee signs as a free agent with the San Francisco Giants, ending his three-month stint across the bay with Oakland. McGee finished the season with Oakland following a trade with the Cardinals, but he still qualified as the NL batting champion. *1991 - The Los Angeles Dodgers sign free agent knuckleballer Tom Candiotti to a four-year contract. *1992 - The Seattle Mariners sign free agent P Chris Bosio to a four-year contract. *1996 - The Florida Marlins sign free agent OF Jim Eisenreich to a two-year contract. *1997 - The Tampa Bay Devil Rays agreed to terms with free agents P Wilson Alvarez, to a five-year contract, and OF Dave Martinez to a two-year contract. 2000s *2001: **Although Enron Corporation has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, the corporation is current on its payments and plans to keep the company's name on the Houston Astros new ballpark. The downtown stadium will stay Enron Field as long as Enron continues to exist and makes regular payments on its 30-year, $100 million commitment according to team officials. **The Philadelphia Phillies sign free agent OF Brian Hunter to a two-year contract. *2002: **The Oakland Athletics send P Billy Koch and two minor leaguers to the Chicago White Sox in exchange for P Keith Foulke, C Mark Johnson, minor league P Joe Valentine, and cash consideration. **The Los Angeles Dodgers trade 1B Eric Karros, 2B Mark Grudzielanek and cash to the Chicago Cubs. In return, the Dodgers get C Todd Hundley and OF Chad Hermansen. *2003: **Mike Lowell signs a four-year, $32 million deal with the Florida Marlins. The All-Star third baseman contract, however, reverts to a one-year deal with a player option for 2005 if the teams fail to secure financing for a new ballpark by November 1, 2004. **Uncertain of re-signing starter Kevin Millwood, the Philadelphia Phillies trade reliever Carlos Silva, infielder Nick Punto, and a minor leaguer to the Minnesota Twins for starter Eric Milton. Milton, who missed most of last season after knee surgery, should join the starting rotation which will include Randy Wolf, Vicente Padilla and Brett Myers. *2005: **The Houston Astros agreed to terms with pitcher Russ Springer on a one-year contract. **The Philadelphia Phillies agreed to terms with pitcher Tom Gordon on a three-year contract. Births *1872 - Cozy Dolan, outfielder (d. 1907) *1912 - Charlie Wagner, pitcher *1922 - Joe Collins, outfielder (d. 1989) *1925 - Harry Simpson, All-Star outfielder (d. 1979) *1940 - Chico Salmon, infielder (d. 2000) *1947 - Wayne Garrett, infielder *1953 - Pat Putnam, infielder *1960 - Gene Nelson, pitcher *1963 - Damon Berryhill, catcher *1964 - Darryl Hamilton, outfielder *1970 - Paul Byrd, All-Star pitcher *1976 - Gary Glover, pitcher *1977 - Chad Durbin, pitcher *1978 - Matt Childers, pitcher *1981 - Chris Snelling, outfielder Deaths *1938 - Guy Hecker, pitcher (b. 1856) *1939 - Frank Killen, pitcher (b. 1870) *1943 - Mike Grady, catcher (b. 1869) *1994 - Earl Johnson, pitcher (b. 1919) *1996 - John Bateman, catcher (b. 1940)